Archive for the 'Columbus Blue Jackets' Tag Under 'Ducks' Category

For the first time, the Ducks and Kings made the Stanley Cup playoffs in the same season but the stay for both ended after only six games. But that doesn't figure to be a fluke as another big year for hockey in Southern California may be ahead.

This might be the time that either the Ducks or Kings overtake rival San Jose for the Pacific Division title. The Ducks haven't won a division crown since their only triumph in the 2007 Cup season while the Kings also have just one title back in 1990-91 when there was still the Smythe Division.

All three will have to contend with Vancouver, the reigning Presidents' Trophy winner which tasted a Cup defeat for the third time in its history. And there are the other usual suspects that will factor in the Western Conference race – Detroit, Chicago and Nashville.

Will there be a surprise team that jumps into the top eight? Will a supposed contender take an unexpected fall? The Register takes an educated stab at how the Western Conference will shake out.

James Wisniewski cashed in big time this summer when he turned a career-best season spent between the New York Islanders and Montreal into a six-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets that will pay him $33 million.

Before he can start earning his big-money deal, Wisniewski will need to open his own checkbook and write out a fat one to the National Hockey League office.

Wisniewski has been suspended indefinitely pending a hearing Monday as a result of an illegal hit to the head of Minnesota's Cal Clutterbuck in retailiation for an apparent questionable play by Clutterbuck on defenseman Fedor Tyutin in the Wild's 4-3 overtime win over the Blue Jackets on Friday night at Xcel Energy Center.

As we all know, Wisniewski has been to the principal's office before. Who can forget when the defenseman with the rugged game and big personality skated in from Santa Ana to unload on one-time Chicago teammate Brent Seabrook in this St. Patrick's Day game between the Ducks and Blackhawks in 2010.

Partly because of his previous suspensions, Wisniewski got eight games from former NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell after that hit. Now his latest case will be a curious one as new dean Brendan Shanahan has already shown to be one who is setting a new tone for questionable hits.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- With their Stanley Cup playoff epitaph just waiting to be written Saturday night at Nationwide Arena, the Ducks combined renewed will and a convergence of strange circumstances to at least postpone this season's obituary.

Despite being short-handed more times than they put the puck on net over the game's final 44 minutes, the Ducks came through with a 5-2 triumph over the previously sizzling Columbus BlueJackets. Thus ended a three-game losing streak that had seemed even longer because the Ducks had gone nine days without a victory.

The Ducks managed only 13 shots on hotshot Columbus rookie goaltender Steve Mason, including just five in the final two periods, but received payoffs from defenseman Chris Pronger, Corey Perry,Brendan Morrison, Chris Kunitz and rookie Bobby Ryan.

Still, the Ducks (29-27-5) realized after falling to the defending Stanley Cup champions that it was now or never if they have any chance to work their way back into the top eight in the NHL's Western Conference.

What appeared to be Corey Perry's 10th of the season, which would have put the Ducks on top late in the second period, wound up being nothing more than a major talking point after rookie goaltender Steve Mason and the Columbus Blue Jackets blanked the Ducks, 2-0, at Honda Center.

Referee Dean Morton waved off the apparent goal, ruling that Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf was guilty of interference as Perry skated from behind the net and beat Mason on the short, glove side from low in the left-wing faceoff circle at 17:52.

Instead of being up 1-0, the Ducks found themselves short-handed, and went down two men when defenseman Scott Niedermayer took a hooking penalty exactly a minute later.

ANAHEIM - Each with something to prove after disappointing developments four nights earlier, Bobby Ryan, George Parros and Ryan Getzlaf accomplished exactly that Sunday at Honda Center.

The trio combined for three goals and three assists to lead a 5-3 victory over the Columbus BlueJackets that enabled the Ducks to snap a two-game losing streak.

The second of those back-to-back defeats, Wednesday's 4-2, road setback to the ChicagoBlackhawks, included two third-period Getzlaf minor penalties that helped the Blackhawks erase a one-goal deficit in the final 5:45. Ryan and Parros, meanwhile, found themselves on the bench midway through the second period in Chicago and never touched the ice the rest of the way.

Coach Randy Carlyle greeted the Blue Jackets by putting Ryan, who had played primarily on the first and second lines since his Nov. 15 recall from the Iowa Chops of the American League, on a revamped fourth unit. Ryan skated with Parros and center Ryan Carter, who had appeared in only one of the previous nine games.